If you are looking for a delicious way to create a quick Mediterranean meal, chicken shawarma is the way to go! It is colorful, delicious, and great for a Spring-Summer meal when you are ready to uncover the grill and get outside. I love serving it with colorful and delicious accompaniments like yogurt, tahini sauce, or hummus. My son Ryan is not a big fan of tahini, and says I make it too much! I would put it in everything if I could, but I try to limit my love for it to just 1-2 times a week!
Ingredients
Chicken Shawarma
2-3 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
¼ cup olive oil
3-4 garlic cloves chopped finely
2 lemons zested and juiced
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp kosher salt
Roasted Vegetables
2 cups Broccoli florets
2 cups Cauliflower florets
3 carrots, sliced diagonally
3 tbsps. olive oil
½ tbsp. zaatar
Sprinkle of sea salt
Salad
3 diced Persian cucumbers
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz. feta cheese crumbled
Red Cabbage Salad
½ red cabbage shredded
1 ½ lemons, juiced
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Yogurt Tahini Mint Sauce
1/4 cup yogurt (I like Fage full fat)
1/4 cup tahini
1-2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove grated or finely chopped
¼ cup fresh mint
1/4 cup water
Salt and pepper to taste
Additional Elements
Hummus of your choice (I like spicy red pepper)
Toasted pita triangles
1. Make the chicken marinade and pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels. Use a heavy kitchen knife to remove excess fat and add chicken to a large bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk the olive oil, garlic, and spices together and pour mixture over chicken, turning it so everything is coated evenly. Place in the fridge for at least 4 hours.
3. Once you are ready to cook the chicken on the grill remove it from the fridge for at least 20 minutes while your outdoor grill is heating up. Remove chicken from marinade, letting any excess drop off and cook chicken on the first side for about 5 minutes or until deeply charred, then flip over and cook on the other side for another 3-4 minutes until cooked through. Remove chicken to a cutting board and let rest for at least 5 minutes before cutting into it, then slice chicken on a diagonal.
4. To make the roasted vegetables, preheat your oven to 450 F. Place the broccoli, cauliflower and carrots in a bowl and toss with 3 tbsps. olive oil. Lay a square of foil on a sheet pan and place the coated vegetables on the pan. Sprinkle zaatar and sea salt over top and cook for 20 minutes or until tender and slightly charred.
5. To make the yogurt tahini mint sauce, add all ingredients to a small food processor or blender and blend until smooth. You may need to add more water for desired consistency, similar to honey that you can drizzle.
6. For the red cabbage salad, add cabbage, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a bowl and mix to combine.
7. For serving, add the roasted vegetables to a shallow bowl along with the red cabbage salad, cherry tomatoes, feta, cucumbers, and sliced chicken shawarma. Garnish with hummus. Serve with pita bread and drizzle with the tahini yogurt mint sauce.
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